Gen Z’s purchases are shaped by trusted creators, not traditional ads: KFC India CMO

KFC India has co-created a new menu item—the Saucy Popcorn—in collaboration with CarryMinati (Ajey Nagar), a popular YouTuber. Instead of a traditional celebrity endorsement, the brand has involved the creator at every step, from ideation to packaging and promotion.

CarryMinati, whose subscriber base on YouTube stands at 44.9 million and averages 3.3 million likes and over 116,000 comments per video, marks his first-ever partnership with a food brand through this campaign. He mostly creates roast, comedy and gaming content. 

In an exclusive interview with e4m, Aparna Bhawal, CMO of KFC India & Partner Countries, revealed that the campaign represents a pivot towards creator-led marketing built on relatability, not just reach. “While previous generations of creators thrived on expertise, Gen Z values reliability more,” said Bhawal. “For them, creators are today’s true culture curators. Their purchase decisions are shaped by trusted creators—not traditional ads.”

Why CarryMinati Over Food Influencers

Despite food being among the least featured themes on CarryMinati’s platforms (only 2.13% of his content), KFC opted for him over typical food influencers. 

“CarryMinati is real, relatable and with over 90% Gen Z followers, he’s one of them,” Bhawal explained. “That makes him more influential than food-focused creators whose reach is often limited by niche content.” The campaign reflects an Internet-native, creator-first approach, rooted in direct appeal and meme culture, not traditional food narratives.

#BuyOrCry Campaign: Humour, Threats, and a Digital-First Rollout

The integrated campaign, titled #BuyOrCry, is led by a digital film showing CarryMinati in a chicken popcorn costume, testing dialogues and poses for the product shoot. He eventually takes over the production in his signature style, warning viewers of humorous “consequences” if they don't try the new product: “Tumhaari crush tumhe zindagi main saucy message nahi bhejegi”, “AI ko apna trauma bataoge aur woh tumhe aur trauma dekar bhaga dega.”

Mayuresh Dubhashi, CCO, FCB India, who helped develop the campaign, said, “We are actually threatening our consumers with funny consequences if they don’t buy this amazing new addition to KFC’s already stellar menu. It upends classic marketing rulebooks through a massive 360 campaign.”

This is not just about views or brand recall. Bhawal noted that the campaign is structured to drive business impact—generating trials, stimulating in-store buzz, and encouraging visits. “It’s a product made for the Internet generation. By the Internet’s favourite,” she said.

The campaign includes traditional media (TV, print, outdoor) alongside social media and digital platforms, but its tone and tactics are clearly designed with digital-first audiences in mind. The product packaging also features CarryMinati’s image, marking what the brand claims is an industry-first—featuring a creator prominently on packaging in the QSR segment.

The Strategy Behind KFC’s Social Media Play

KFC’s push to position itself as “one of them” instead of an outsider talking to Gen Z is not limited to this campaign. The brand has revamped its broader digital strategy to reflect changing consumption habits. “Today we’re the fastest growing QSR brand in India on social. We’re no longer talking to our audience as a brand but as one of them,” said Bhawal. The brand's half-million-strong Instagram base is being actively cultivated with content tailored to Gen Z’s expectations—short, irreverent, and meme-worthy.

CarryMinati’s Brand Track Record

Before KFC, CarryMinati had collaborated with Cleartrip (Shoot with Dhoni), Flipkart, AmazonminiTV, Star Sports India, Infinix India, Winzo, NBA India, and the Khelo India campaign. Most of these engagements were in the entertainment, tech, and gaming sectors, which together make up nearly 70% of his content categories. His move into food marks a new vertical for his brand association but reflects growing comfort among marketers in integrating mass influencers across categories—especially those who deliver performance metrics over thematic alignment.

With this campaign, KFC becomes the latest legacy brand to lean into creator-driven commerce, betting on influence to translate into conversions. Whether this shift from celebrities and chefs to meme-savvy gamers delivers sales will determine if more QSRs follow suit.